The Chilmark Potluck Jam, a series of community food and music events held at the town community center for the last 15 years, will proceed this year with a new zero-alcohol policy, after select board members raised concerns about underage drinking during the festivities.

The decision not to allow alcohol at the potluck jam was initially made at a select board meeting on Sept. 26, and select board chair Bill Rossi confirmed that policy is still in place in a phone call with the Gazette Thursday morning.

“They are being allowed to resume the event as a non-alcohol event,” Mr. Rossi said.

At the board meeting on Tuesday, a group of performers and supporters of the jam protested a proposal that event organizers be required to purchase liability insurance.

The board determined that, since alcohol was not being served at the event, the organizers would not need to get a policy from an insurance company, but asked that work be done to prevent minors from drinking.

“The concern that was raised that started this whole thing has to do with minors consuming alcohol on town property,” said board member Jim Malkin. “I’ve seen it happen.”

Longtime jam performer and former Tisbury select board member Tristan Israel spoke in favor of the event.

“I’ve never seen anything unruly there,” he said. “It’s one of the last free community events...we’ll police ourselves.”

Chilmark police chief Sean Slavin said that, over the last 60 jam events that had taken place, the department had recorded no major incidents.

Tuesday’s meeting of the select board was cause for confusion among board members and meeting attendees, some of whom were under the impression that the select board had decided that jam attendees could bring their own alcohol to the event.

To clarify, the Gazette placed calls Thursday morning to all three select board members. Mr. Rossi confirmed the ban, as did board member Jim Malkin. Marie Larsen said she deferred to the other board members, but added that the issue needed more clarity and that she would bring it up again at a future board meeting.

“I’m going to bring it up that we need to clarify how we do this,” she said.

The first Chilmark Potluck Jam of the season is scheduled to take place on Nov. 25.